Archive for the ‘Zohar I:25’ Category

Here is an excerpt from an editorial written by a reform-minded Judaic attempting to persuade the Orthodox to reassess the rabbinic mandate to exterminate “Amalek” which endures in Orthodox Judaic teaching and in practice to this day:

… So, in the long-gone days of the Torah, there may have been a logic to waging an all-out war. Today, however, the practical application of this mitzvah [extermination of “Amalek”] in the eyes of too many fanatic believers has become an embarrassment, even a terrible one.

In our modern parlance, the Torah is commanding us to commit genocide.

If we were only speaking about theory, I wouldn’t worry. But I know just how practical this command is for many people. They see Amalek as every enemy, especially the Arab-Palestinian one.

They see themselves as commanded by God, and intend to fulfill that command.

It is any surprise that Baruch Goldstein- of cursed memory – chose to erase the Palestinian Amalekites on Purim, the holiday which historically marks the victory of the Jewish people over Haman, a grandson of the cursed Amalek?

Many people admire Goldstein, his rabbis continue to produce students, prepared for the role of carrying out this mitzvah more than any other in the Torah … (“Parshat Ki Tetze: Torah genocide,” 9/16/05, ynet news)

If one reads through the comments in response to the editorial one can surmise that this genocidal rabbinic teaching will not be given up easily by the Orthodox and that those who attempt to reform it will meet great hostility.

Here is an excerpt from an editorial written by a reform-minded Judaic attempting to persuade the Orthodox to reassess the rabbinic mandate to exterminate “Amalek” which endures in Orthodox Judaic teaching and in practice to this day:

… So, in the long-gone days of the Torah, there may have been a logic to waging an all-out war. Today, however, the practical application of this mitzvah [extermination of “Amalek”] in the eyes of too many fanatic believers has become an embarrassment, even a terrible one.

In our modern parlance, the Torah is commanding us to commit genocide.

If we were only speaking about theory, I wouldn’t worry. But I know just how practical this command is for many people. They see Amalek as every enemy, especially the Arab-Palestinian one.

They see themselves as commanded by God, and intend to fulfill that command.

It is any surprise that Baruch Goldstein- of cursed memory – chose to erase the Palestinian Amalekites on Purim, the holiday which historically marks the victory of the Jewish people over Haman, a grandson of the cursed Amalek?

Many people admire Goldstein, his rabbis continue to produce students, prepared for the role of carrying out this mitzvah more than any other in the Torah … (“Parshat Ki Tetze: Torah genocide,” 9/16/05, ynet news)

If one reads through the comments in response to the editorial one can surmise that this genocidal rabbinic teaching will not be given up easily by the Orthodox and that those who attempt to reform it will meet great hostility.